Seal for refrigerating apparatus



July 21, 1936.

G. F. WEIHEl 2,048,581

SEAL FOR REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Filed June 30, 1934 66 6 5 gr worm Patented July 21, i936 I scram SEAL FOB BEFRIGERATING APPARATUfi George F. Weiher, Dayton, Ohio, assignor to General Motors Corporation, Dayton, Ohio, a corporation of Delaware Application same so, 1934, Serial No.-'i33,289 2 Claims. (c1. 286-41) This invention relates to refrigerating appa- Fig. l is a view of a refrigerating system em-' ratus and more particularly to rotary shaft bodying the present invention, the compressor seals for compressors for refrigerating systems. being shown on a larger scale and having the In shaft seals for refrigerator compressors shaft seal portion thereof shown in cross sec- 5 which are provided with a spring pressed sealing tion; 5 ring working against the face of the shoulder Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of the shaft seal on the compressor shaft, difficulties have been shown in Fig. l; and

experienced after longperiods of service with Fig. 3 is a view of the modification of certain wear on the shoulder of the compressor shaft. parts of the shaft seal. When the surface becomes cut or scored, or for Referring to Fig. 1, there is shown diagram- 10 any other reason-unsuitable'for further service, matically a refrigerating system comprising a it is necessary to completely disassemble the compressor Ill, having a discharge passage 62 compressor mechanism in order to put in a new communicating with the condenser l4, which in shaft. In many instances, the remaining parts turn leads to a liquid refrigerant receiver l6 conof the compressor are in suflicientiy'good connected by a conduit I8 with an evaporator 15 dition so that replacement is not necessary, which may contain the usual float valve for reguand it is, therefor uneconomical to have to comlating the expansion of liquid refrigerant therepletely tear down the compressor in order to in, and a low side conduit 22 leading from the replace a worn surface on the compressor shaft evaporator to the intake 24 of the compressor.

20 shoulder. A low pressure control switch 26 is shown for 20 It is an object of this invention to provide a controlling the motor 28 which in turn drives 4 seal which may be readily replaced when worn the shaft 30 of the compressor ill by a belt drive without requiring a complete disassembiy of the 32. compressor. The shaft seal construction is shown in detail It is also an object to provide a replacement in Fig. 2, wherein the compressor shaft is 25 sealing surface which may be applied to existing provided with a shoulder 34. A sealing ring 36 compressors having worn shaft shoulder suris located on the shaft 30 adjacent the end face faces without requiring disassembly of the comof the shoulder 3t and, is sealed to the shaft 30 pressor. and shoulder 34 by a gasket 38 which is preferably 30 A further object is to provide a sealing ring formed of aresilient rubber-like material capable 30 which may be applied to a compressor shaft and of withstanding the deteriorating effects of minwhich will be sealed thereto in a manner which eral and other oils and the common refrigerants. is both gas tight and frictionally secure. Such a material may, for example, be a polymer Another object is to' provide; a sealing ring of chloro-2-butadiene-1,3 known in the trade which will be sealed to the shaft or acompressor as "Duprene. The main casing of the com- 35 by means of a sealing gasket formed of a synpressor is formed with a recess 40' adapted to rethetic rubber-like material which is resilient and ceive the shaft seal mechanism. A sealing ring which will not deteriorate under the action of oils 42 coacts with the sealing ring 36 to form a runand the common refrigerants encountered in rening seal and is carried by a spring plate 44 40 frigerating systems. which is urged to the right by a spring 46 abut- 40 A further object is to provide a sealing ring for ting its opposite end against a. fixed plate 48. application to a shouldered shaft which will be The plate 48 has sealed thereto, as by soldering, a retained in position solely by the action of the bellows 50 which at its opposite end is secured, as

pressure of the coacting sealing ring upon the by soldering, to the spring plate 44 and sealing first ring. a ring 42. The plate 48 and parts carried thereby 45 Another object is to provide means in the presare retained in position and sealed to the end ent type of replaceable sealing ring for preventwall of the compressor by a clamping plate 52 mg displacement of the resilient rubber-like and bolts 54, a gasket 56 being interposed begasket. tween plate 48 and the end wall of the com- Further objects and advantages of the present pressor. 50

invention will be apparent from the following In operation, the spring 46 urges the spring description, reference'belng had to the accomplate 44 and the sealing ring 42 into close conpanying drawing, wherein a preferred form of 'tact with the sealing ring 36. The bellows SI the present invention is clearly shown. maintains an impervious and yet end-wise ex- In the drawing; pansible seal between the sealing ring 42 and the wall 01" the compressor. The pressure of the ency to expand radially under endwise pressure spring 48 is transmitted to the sealing ring I6 transmitted from the spring 18 through the sealby the sealing ring 42, which pressure in turn ing ring 42. The collar 62 may also be made of n 10 the spring and with a supply of lubricant, form, it

case through the passage 58, maintains a gas of the claims which follow. tight running seal. Passage 60 is provided for What is claimed is as follows: returning excess lubricant to the crank case. 1. A replacement sealing ring for a shaft seal In compressors which are provided with a which sealing ring 38 and a gasket 38 when first conthereon formed with a sealing face which may structed, the only work necessary to be done become unserviceable from wear, comprising the when the face of the ring 36 becomes unsuitcombination of a hardened metallic ring having able for maintaining a seal due to wear, is to rea polished hard sealing surface and a thin flexmove the bolts 54 and plate 52 together with the ible gasket formed of a material having the expansible seal assembly'comprising the parts characteristics of flexibility, resilience and renumbered from 42 to 50 inclusive. The ring 38 sistance to deterioration from contact with oil and gasket 38 may bethen pried oi! with a and the common refrigerants, said ring and and the seal then reassembled. Thus, the presthe shaft shoulder and to be retained with the shaft shoulder in the conventional type of seal under axial pressure, said member overlying and wise it will be seen that in compressors originaler upon the shaft. ly constructed without the replaceable ring 38 2. A replacement sealing ring for a shaft seal and gasket 38 that when the surface of the which includes a shaft having a shoulder there- 40 In the modification shown in Fig. 3, the corbutadiene-L3, said ring and gasket being in Fig. 2 with the additional advantage that the collar 62 retains the gasket 38 against any tend- GEORGE F. WEIHER, 

